Bøger af Mary Miller

This is a dictionary of Mesoamerican mythology and religion, which seeks to act as a guide to the labyrinthine symbolic world. Nearly 300 entries describe the main gods and symbols, accompanied by illustrations, while two introductory essays provide accounts of Mesoamerican history and religion.

A CHRISTMAS HOUSE is the perfect Christmas play for anyone who has ever: built a house, worried about getting old, been single, been married, experienced sibling rivalry, delivered a baby, or spent the holidays with their relatives!Based on a true story, A Christmas House is a funny often poignant love story of one man's family and the house he built off the coast of Georgia. It will strike a chord with anyone who has ever undertaken the job of bringing their family together for Christmas and will touch everyone who has waited until the prime of their life to embrace their dreams. AWARDS & NOTICES"Dreams fulfilled!" Waterloo Playhouse Mainstage Production, Waterloo, IA. "Funny and poignant!" Island Players, St. Simons Island, GA. "Perfect Christmas Story" St. Philips Cathedral, Atlanta, GA. Finalist South Carolina's Playwrights' Conference, Beaufort, SC. Director's Lab, New York, NYABOUT THE PLAYAbigail Addison was born on Christmas Day and although it had never bothered her before, this year she was turning sixty and even though she didn't look old, every now and then she felt old. So, when Fred, her husband of thirty-five years, invites the family down to spend Christmas together in the house he's been building on an island off the coast of Georgia, she decides to surprise him by selling their old home in Atlanta and embrace a life together at the beach. It's Abigail, however, who is surprised when she gets to the beach and discovers the house is somewhat lacking ... lacking paint, lacking plaster, lacking walls. But, as each member of the family arrives, they see a different house. As they struggle to bring the walls of the house up, their individual walls begin to come down, until at last, on Christmas morning a house with no walls becomes a home.CAST OF CHARACTERS: ABIGAIL: 60 years old. Practical, assertive, charming, and gracious Abigail is the epitome of a true Southern lady. She has been married to Fred for 35 years and is the mother to their three grown daughters: Margaret, Babs and Lizbeth. For the past 20 years Abigail has worked as a real estate agent and is now considering retiring. She is dressed in an elegant suit and high heels. (Note: She should be a wonderful physical comedic actress.)FRED: 68 years old. A gentle dreamer with enthusiastic energy and endless patience, Fred is an architect who has the ability to build what he designs. He is a Navy veteran and wears an old seaman's cap to prove it, along with well-worn khaki pants and a sweaty "used to be white" tee shirt. Fred is a Southern gentleman. A man of few words but when he speaks people listen!MARGARET: The oldest daughter. Margaret is single and all business, practical, pragmatic and sensible. Even though it's Christmas she's brought her briefcase to squeeze in a little work. Margaret is dressed in khaki shorts that have been pressed and a white linen shirt with a sweater tied around her neck. The only thing oddly out of place about Margaret is a hat she is wearing that covers her recently straightened hair.BABS: The middle child. Babs is the polar opposite of Margaret, she is eccentric, creative, impulsive, and spontaneous with bright red curly hair that's the envy of everyone. Babs is married and still considers herself a newlywed although she's been married to Doug for over a year. Babs is dressed in tight spandex pants with a brightly colored shirt that shows off her hair.LIZBETH: The baby sister. Lizbeth is eternally optimistic, religious, and cheery. She is often the bridge between Margaret and Babs. A peacemaker in her own right, she is married with three children of her own and eight months pregnant with her fourth! Lizbeth is dressed in maternity jeans and an oversized plaid shirt that probably belongs to her husband Howard.TIME: Christmas Eve. 1989

"If all the world's a stage, how do we play a bigger part in our own lives?" ACTING HEALTHY is a new take on wellness using acting tips and techniques to help you play a bigger, happier, thinner, younger, healthier part in your own life! After all the first step to being happy, thin, young, and healthy is acting happy, thin, young, and healthy every day. "Directors Notes for a Better Life" are daily insights into theatre and life that will help you begin to make a change. In theatre director's notes are those notes given to actors after a rehearsal to help make a better play. Why not use them here to help make a better life? "ACTING HEALTHY: Directors Notes for a Better Life" is a daily journal. A mixture of theatre and self-help designed to entertain as well as give you the acting tools you need to make a difference in your life. Each day starts with a new thought ... that thought is explored ... and then brought to life by an excerpt from a play.

FERRIS WHEEL is an award-winning play that has been produced across the United States and around the world. Originally published in the anthology TAKE TEN: New 10-Minute Plays by Random House, FERRIS WHEEL continues to delight audiences of all ages. It is the perfect play for any production company from Broadway to local community theatres as well as high schools and colleges alike. Suitable for all ages. AWARDS & NOTICES "EXTRAORDINARY" Take Ten: New Ten Minute Plays, Random House. Finalist Humana Festival Actors Theatre of Louisville, Louisville, KY. Over 500 productions worldwide including: England, France, Germany, Finland, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and India. ABOUT THE PLAY Funny and touching, FERRIS WHEEL is the unlikely love story of two lonely people who are forced to ride together on an old country Ferris wheel. She's afraid of heights. He's afraid to give up smoking. They are both afraid of each other. SETTING: The setting is two folding chairs placed side by side or a small bench. The motion of the Ferris wheel can be created by the movement of the actors, gradually leaning forward going up and gradually leaning backwards going down. The safety bar in front of them should be mimed when necessary. Note: The bulk of the play should run as almost two separate monologues with the characters seldom relating to one another until they have to. CHARACTERS: JOHN and DORIE: They can be any age as long as they are close to the same age. However, the play becomes more poignant if they are a little older and rather average looking. TIME: Late afternoon.

When an inexplicable ball of light begins to shine in Dillard County, GA, it sends the townspeople scurrying for answers. What is it? Where did it come from? What does it want? When will it leave? Some ignore it, others dismiss it and some swear it is a UFO waiting to land. LIGHT BURGERS is a romantic comedy that explores what happens when five ordinary people experience something extraordinary. AWARDS & NOTICES: World Premiere: Off-Off Broadway Carousel Theatre Company, New York, NY. Winner Best Actor & Best Supporting Actress, Georgia Theatre Conference. "BEST BETS" Gallery 209/Art Downtown, Brunswick, GA. Finalist New Play Competition, Denton, TX. ABOUT THE PLAY: A mysterious light is not the only thing that has suddenly appeared in Dillard County, GA. Mason's unexpected return from New York City after fifteen years has created a stir all its own particularly for everyone at Dunford's Diner. L.E., the diner's only waitress and Mason's old high school girlfriend, has refused to look at him or the 'light.' George, the owner of the diner has decided to take Mason's advice and has re-named and re-marketed the diner in honor of the coming of the 'light.' Frank, a tired and frustrated policeman, has come to the diner to take a much needed break from a busy day chasing 'light' sightings all over town. Merrillee, a high school beauty queen, is thrilled at George's announcement that Tonight-Is-The-Night for the landing of the 'light.' She appears at the diner with her suitcase packed, anxiously awaiting its arrival and ready to go with it. Tonight Mason, L.E., George, Merrillee, and Frank will experience something none of them will ever forget. SETTING: A local diner in Dillard, Ga, a small town located a couple hours north of Atlanta, GA, during the summer of 1992. CHARACTERS: GEORGE: Owns Dunford's Diner, a roadside diner that he inherited after his father died. George has always worked for his father but now that he owns the diner he has decided to test his wings under Mason's tutelage. Mason and George went to high school together. George is a few years younger and he holds Mason in the highest esteem. L.E.: A waitress at Dunford's diner, she went to high school with Mason and they were an item before they graduated and he left to go to New York. L.E. is the quiet, stable, reasonable person in the group. She has never left Dillard except for a brief stay in Tupelo after graduation. She refuses to get swept up in the furor of the 'light' and has never tried to look up to see if she could see it. Her real name is Lenora Elaine but the only person who calls her that is her mother. FRANK: A Dillard County policeman, Frank was best friends with George's father. Frank has been a fixture in the community and the diner forever. Married to Geraldine they have no children of their own so he looks on those in the diner like a surrogate father. Dillard County was a quiet peaceful little town until the 'light' started shining and they put him in charge. Frank has come to the diner tonight to take a much needed break. MASON: A hometown success story, he moved to New York City shortly after graduating from high school and made a name for himself in advertising. Mason has just recently returned to Dillard to the surprise of everyone especially L.E. Much like the prodigal son, Mason has come back to see if he can fit in again. MERRILLEE: The prettiest girl in high school, Merrillee was then and still is the envy of all the girls in town. As pretty as she is, there is a naive innocence about Merrillee that is childlike and sincere. She truly does look for the best in everyone and there isn't a mean bone in her body. She grew up in a wealthy family and married well. She has never had to work or want for anything in her life. But today she has packed her suitcase and declared that she is going with the 'light.'

The cast and crew of Mary Miller's award-winning comedy WAITING FOR OPRAH invite you to attend the monthly meeting of the 1st Tuesday Book Club (that meets on Thursday!) AWARDS & NOTICES #1 Critics Choice, #1 Audience Favorite, FutureFest, Dayton, OH. "Smash Hit" The News, Brunswick, GA. "The Woman's Experience" Theatre Decatur, Decatur, GA. "Don't miss Waiting for Oprah!" The Islander, St. Simons Is. GA. "We're all waiting for Oprah." FACT Theatre, Fairfield. IA. "Mia's Monologue" - Audition Monologues for Young Women. ABOUT THE PLAY It's the last meeting of the 1st Tuesday Book Club (which meets on Thursday!) and Allison, Mia, Fran, Louise, and Janice are awaiting the arrival of their celebrity guest. Dressed to the nines, Janice is determined to make a good impression and thrilled at the idea of being on TV. Allison, however, is not at all convinced Oprah's arrival will do anything but disrupt their last meeting. While, Louise, a loving housewife and Oprah devotee, is convinced Oprah is the answer to all their problems. And Mia, rushing in late, is simply delighted that she hasn't missed anything yet. All the while, Fran is just waiting for a miracle to change the course of her entire life. As they wait the question of whether Oprah will come or not is ultimately not as important as what they learn about themselves and what they mean to each other. SETTING: Allison's living room. The set can be as simple as five folding chairs on an empty stage or as intricate and detailed as a full living room set. The play's focus should remain on the women and their stories rather than an elaborate set. CHARACTERS: ALLISON: Oldest in the group. She's married to Jack. No children. Sophisticated. She has money but it's not what defines her. She's more pragmatic and skeptical about Oprah's visit. She's friends with the other women but more closely drawn to Mia as the daughter she never had. LOUISE: Happily married to Ralph. She's a housewife and mother. A bit chubby with tight curly hair, the result of a bad perm. An Oprah devotee. Very enthusiastic...loves her husband, her children, her friends, the book club, and Oprah. Louise is the most excited to see Oprah and the most afraid that the book club is breaking up. She's desperate that this not be the last meeting. She's wonderfully comedic in her unbridled enthusiasm. JANICE: Recently divorced from Buddy. Mother of one girl. She is well aware of the value of money and appearances. She can be pushy and opinionated and yet she's well-meaning and vulnerable and even a bit naïve. She loves to talk and feels she is an expert on everything (although she's not). She often breaks the tension in the play with a comment or a story that is seemingly inappropriate, but she is totally unaware and thinks she's being helpful and sympathetic. She has a big heart and is wonderfully comedic in her outspoken way. FRAN: Married to George. No children. She is delighted to meet Oprah but a bit distracted and worried. She works to hide her concerns from her friends. Fran's revelation comes as a surprise to them all; but it's Fran's journey as she comes to terms with her husband that opens the women up to discuss their own problems. Fran is hiding the biggest secret and it's her story that becomes the linchpin in the play. MIA: Youngest in the group. She is single. A free spirit. She's had a tough childhood but is working hard to rise above it. She may have purple hair but she has a good head on her shoulders and she's determined to make her way in the world. Mia is a quiet listener. She has an understanding of the world greater than her years. She respects the women, especially Allison and looks up to them like surrogate mothers. Age range: Mid 20's to early 60's. TIME: The play begins at 11:30 a.m. and ends late that afternoon.

IN THE KITCHEN: Thoughts on Love, Sex, and Aging by Mary Miller is a comedy that revolves around the lives of a mother and her three daughters who suddenly find themselves forced to navigate the pitfalls of old age when the girls discover their mother has left the gas stove burning all night. Mixing current events with childhood memories puts the women at odds with one another and sends them on a collision course that's often as hysterical as it is heartbreaking. AWARDS & NOTICES First place winner of the New England Theatre Conference (NETC) John Gassner Memorial Playwriting Award for best play of 2016. In the Kitchen was by far the best of this year's finalists. David Frieze, Committee Chairman.ABOUT THE PLAY When Kate's mother leaves the gas stove burning all night, it sets in motion a chain of events and family confrontations over the nature of aging and what to do if you're lucky enough to get old.IN THE KITCHEN will touch anyone who has ever wrestled with an aging parent, come to grips with teenage children, been confused as to what to wear as an adult, and have both lost and found: love, work, money, and happiness all while sitting at the kitchen table trying to keep the family together. Why the kitchen? Because that's where life unfolds ... in the kitchen!CHARACTERS: The ages of the main characters can vary, as long as their ages are suitable for a mother who is considering (or should be considering) life in a retirement community.MOTHER (60 +) - The mother of three daughters, she is a vivacious, energetic woman who suddenly finds herself facing her own mortality. Wrestling with the trials and tribulations that come with old age, she is forced to weigh the limitations age has put on her and come to grips with what she can no longer do.KATE (the eldest) - The oldest of the three daughters, she is responsible and reliable almost to a fault. Single and unencumbered with children, she has taken care of her aging parents for years, often sacrificing her own happiness to ensure theirs.LARA (the middle child) - The middle daughter, she is determined and self-assured. She sees her mother's age as a problem that needs to be solved sooner rather than later. She is married with children, and that colors all her decisions.AMY (the baby) - The youngest of the three daughters, she left home shortly after college and consequently has a more detached view of the family. Married and divorced a number of times, she is actually the linchpin that holds the family together, more often than not.VOICES: - Independent voices sharing similar experiences and representing different ages, races, and genders.SETTING: IN THE KITCHEN is a full-length, two-act, multimedia play. It is designed to be performed on a black box stage with pictures projected (from time to time) against the back wall. These postcard-like images are used to depict various locations, memories, and events. The movement between scenes and monologues should flow seamlessly allowing the actors to speak directly to the audience and then back to one another. The action should be choreographed like a dance. Actors that are not in a scene can remain on stage until needed to react a story or move the play forward. Props should be mimed by the actors especially when reenacting scenes from the past. The postcard-like memory pictures coincide with each character's individual stories.

In the award-winning comedy, PATTERSON'S, playwright Mary Miller dares to ask the question: Is a funeral parlor ever the appropriate place to settle an old score? In the parking lot outside Patterson's, an old-fashioned funeral parlor, two old high school sweethearts find making amends may require giving up the shirt off one's back! AWARDS & NOTICES "DELIGHTFULLY FUNNY" Decatur Arts Festival, Decatur, GA. Toured with the Autumn Players, Asheville Community Theatre, Asheville, NC. Southeastern Playwrights Project, New Play Development, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. ABOUT THE PLAY: Patterson's is a poignant comedy about the things that are important in life ... and in death! SETTING: A parking lot just outside an old-fashioned funeral parlor called Patterson's. The actors are dressed appropriately in black. (It is not necessary to have any props or scenery!) CHARACTERS: WOMAN: A woman (the older the better.) MAN: A man (the same age or older than the woman.) TIME: Present

VIRGIN TEARS ON WYOMING AVENUEIn the dark comedy Virgin Tears On Wyoming Avenue Chandler finds out that returning home is harder than she ever imagined. But playwright Mary Miller believes that maybe you can go home again and that miracles sometimes do take place in real flesh and blood, not just on wooden statues.VIRGIN TEARS is an amazingly funny and poignant play that embraces anger, fear, pain, and hope as seen through the eyes of three estranged sisters. AWARDS & NOTICES"BRILLIANT" Foulds Theatre, Theatre Conspiracy, Finalist, Ft. Myers, FL. "Breathtaking" Naples Daily News, Naples, FL. "Engaging ... Clever ... Dramatic" News-Press, FL. Women at the Door, Finalist, Chicago, IL. "Classic in the making." Theatre in the Square, Marietta, GA.ABOUT THE PLAYWhen Mattie summons her older sister Chandler to come home because their oldest sister Adele has seen the statue of the Holy Virgin Mary crying real tears in their backyard, Chandler returns to Wyoming Avenue to find more than a statue crying in the backyard. She returns to find that she must face the hopes, the dreams, the fears and the failures she thought she had left behind years ago when she abruptly left town moments before their father's funeral.The reunion between these three sisters is anything but "holy." Adele's anger and frustration at Chandler for abandoning the family is something she cannot forgive or forget. Mattie's seemingly endless desire to please, coupled with her adoration for Chandler, places her in direct conflict with Adele and herself, ultimately leaving her incapable of doing the one thing that would solve the family crisis, if not forever, at least for the moment.One action dominoes into the next as the family secrets, carefully locked behind closed doors, come tumbling out along with the family skeletons. Until finally, during a fanciful flight over Wyoming Avenue in a makeshift sailing boat, the sisters see more than the street the way it used to be, they see each other the way they are today.SETTING: The backyard garden of Adele, Chandler, and Mattie's childhood home. The characters, come and go, in and out of the house through a screen door that opens out onto an elevated porch that runs the length of the house with two steps that step down into the backyard. On the porch there is an old-fashioned wooden rocking chair along with a little bench or wooden crate that can be used for seating. Down in the yard, opposite the rocker, is a wrought iron table with two chairs. Across from the table, on the other side of the yard, is a white picket fence with a wooden gate that separates their house from their neighbors. CHARACTERS: ADELE: The oldest sister. (Late 30's to early 40's)CHANDLER: The middle sister. (Mid to late 30's)MATTIE: The youngest sister. (Late 20's to early 30's)ROBERT: Chandler's old boyfriend. (Chandler's age or older)

TAKE PROPER CAREIn 1955, in Atlanta, Georgia, the line dividing blacks and whites was clearly defined unless you happened to be a nine-year-old white girl struggling to hold on to the only family you had left.AWARDS & NOTICESNational Playwriting One Act Competition, Finalist, Dubuque, IA. Little Theatre of Alexandria National One Act Playwriting Competition, Finalist, Alexandria, VA. George Kernodle One Act Playwriting Competition, Finalist, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. ABOUT THE PLAYAfter the sudden death of her parents, a young girl nervously waits for her aunt and uncle to come take her to live with them. What she doesn't understand is why she has to go live with relatives she barely knows and can't continue to live with the woman who has practically raised her. Growing up in the segregated south in 1955 was a difficult time for everyone. But before the end of the day, this young girl will learn how hard it is to cross the color line. A line she never really knew existed before. SETTING: The stage is a kitchen, which is in the process of being packed for an impending move. It is filled with boxes that are taped shut and labeled..."Pots" "Pans" etc. The WOMAN is carefully packing all the remaining fine china and silver. The CHILD is watching and helps occasionally. The kitchen itself has seen years of wear. In the center is an old dining room table with four chairs. There is the usual refrigerator, stove and sink. The cabinets over the sink are white metal and well worn.Note: The stage can be as simple as a table with two chairs surrounded by several large cardboard boxes filled with newspapers/packing material. The beauty of the play is in the relationship of the two main characters not in an elaborate set.CHARACTERS: CHILD: An nine-year-old white girl. She is wearing a dress but is obviously uncomfortable. Her brunette hair is clean but tangled as if she had done it herself. WOMAN: An old black woman, of indeterminate age. She is dressed in a worn J.C. Penney grey uniform. Her stockings are rolled down around her knees and she wears heavy white oxford "maid" uniform shoes.ADULT CHILD - VOICE OVER: The voice of the child as an adult opens and closes the play. It is possible to cast this part as a character on stage but it is not necessary.TIME: The play takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1955.PLEASE NOTE: The dialogue in TAKE PROPER CARE is written in a Southern Dialect. The use of double negatives, incorrect tenses and the deletion of words is done to reflect the sound and tone of the 1950's creating an economy of speech that was prevalent at that time. This does not mean that the characters are ignorant or that they will always speak incorrectly ... they are simply comfortable with each other and their speech reflects this.

BAT WINGS in NYC is a children's book for any adult who has ever longed to be a kid again - if only for a moment. The weekend of January 22-24, 2016, a hardy troupe of theatre loving southern souls, ranging in age from 38 to 84 left Brunswick, GA, and set out for New York City, NY. For some it'd be the first time they'd ever been to New York or seen a Broadway show. For others it would be a chance to see the city again with family and friends. For everyone it'd be the experience of a lifetime because this was the weekend of the Blizzard of 2016. This is their story. How they navigated the city and the snow! SPECIAL THANK YOU To those who came with us and those who supported us. Those who followed us on Facebook and 'liked' our pictures. To those who wished they had come with us and those who are coming next year. This book is for you and the kid in us all.

"A Christmas House" is the perfect book for anyone who has ever: built a house, worried about getting old, been single, been married, experienced sibling rivalry, delivered a baby, or spent the holidays with their relatives! Born on Christmas Day, Abigail Addison was turning sixty this year. Even though she didn't look old, every now and then she felt old. So, when Fred her husband of thirty-five years invites the family down to spend Christmas together in the house he's been building on an island off the coast of Georgia, she decides to surprise him by selling their old home and embracing a life together at the beach. It's Abigail, however, who is surprised when she gets there to discover Fred's beautiful red brick house with white columns is somewhat lacking inside ... lacking paint, lacking plaster, lacking walls! As each member of the family arrives they see a different house. Fred sees it for what it will be. Abigail sees it for the unfinished mess it is. Their three grown daughters, Margaret, Babs, and Lizbeth (eight months pregnant!) recognize it as an exact replica of the house they grew up in and reminisce about growing up in an unfinished home. But it's Abigail who sets everything in motion. Unable to tell anyone what she has done, she refuses to stay in the house for even one night and insists on finding a hotel room on Christmas Eve. As in the original Christmas story there are no rooms to be found. So it's up to the others at the height of the chaos, as Lizbeth goes into labor, to figure out a way to make a house with no walls ... a home. ADDITIONAL FEATURES: PROLOGUE, EPILOGUE, and NOTES FOR DISCUSSIONS - BOOK CLUB Q&A THOUGHTS FROM THE AUTHOR In 1989 my father finally decided to build his dream house on an island off the coast of Georgia. He had talked about building this house all our lives. As kids, my sisters and I, thought it'd be something he'd finish while we were still children. Mother thought it'd be something he'd finish while she was still young! But by 1989 both my sisters and I were well out of the house and mother had turned sixty. Born on Christmas day, age never bothered her before, but that year, with her husband away and the children gone, she suddenly felt old and alone. When someone feels old and alone, especially at sixty, they are apt to do something drastic to change their life. This is that story, a mixture of truth and fiction tempered with love and understanding and a healthy dose of humor because, after all, the names have been changed to protect the guilty! Merry Christmas Mary Miller

"NEXT"In the award-winning comedy NEXT four women: Claire, Joan, Barbara, and Anne while sitting in a doctor's office waiting for a mammogram learn more about their breasts, their lives, and the true meaning of support!AWARDS & NOTICESSamuel French Off Broadway New Play Festival, NYC, NY. Barebones Theatre, Finalist, Charlotte, NC. Love Creek Productions, Winner, NYC, NY. Breast Cancer Awareness: Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, GA, Excela Health, Pittsburgh, PA, Southeast Georgia Health System, Brunswick, GAABOUT THE PLAYClaire the oldest of the group, sits and waits patiently as she quietly knits. Joan the youngest there for the first time, is nervous and anxiously looks to the others for advice. Barbara the sexiest is irritated by the unending attention focused in the media on a woman's breasts. And Anne, the last woman to arrive with the flattest chest of the four, is just eager and enthusiastic and relieved she's not late!So, when the machine breaks down and the women decide to wait, the receptionist/nurse in her zeal seizes the moment as the perfect opportunity to educate the women on the finer points of a self-examination. It's while examining their breasts, they examine their lives and realize together they have a lot more in common than just their breasts.The play is based on true-life accounts. SETTING: A typical waiting room of a doctor's office where the characters are dressed in identical seersucker hospital gowns, waiting for a mammogram.Note: The play can be performed with only four folding chairs on a basically empty stage.CHARACTERS: CLAIRE: The oldest of the four women. She has arrived first and has been waiting the longest. (She should be at least 60+ years old.)JOAN: The youngest of the four women.BARBARA: The sexiest of the four women.ANNE: The last woman to arrive...the flattest chest of the four women.RECEPTIONIST/NURSE: A professional woman of any age.Special Thanks: To my sister in Virginia Beach who had an experience like this while waiting to get a mammogram and on her way home stopped by the side of the road to call and tell me about it.

When an inexplicable ball of light begins to shine in Dillard County, GA, it sends the townspeople scurrying for answers. What is it? Where did it come from? What does it want? When will it leave? Some ignore it, others dismiss it and some swear it is a UFO waiting to land. LIGHT BURGERS ... waltzing through the garden with Joe: is a romantic comedy with a pinch of poignancy and a dash of mystery thrown into the mix as it explores the mystery of what happens when five ordinary people experience something extraordinary. THE ONE ACT EDITION is perfect for High Schools, Community Theatres and Competitions. AWARDS & NOTICES: World Premiere: Off-Off Broadway Carousel Theatre Company, New York, NY. Winner Best Actor & Best Supporting Actress, Georgia Theatre Conference. "BEST BETS" Gallery 209/Art Downtown, Brunswick, GA. Finalist New Play Competition, Denton, TX. ABOUT THE PLAY: A mysterious light is not the only thing that has suddenly appeared in Dillard County, GA. Mason's unexpected return from New York City after fifteen years has created a stir all its own particularly for everyone at Dunford's Diner. L.E., the diner's only waitress and Mason's old high school girlfriend, has refused to look at him or the 'light.' George, the owner of the diner has decided to take Mason's advice and has re-named and re-marketed the diner in honor of the coming of the 'light.' Frank, a tired and frustrated policeman, has come to the diner to take a much needed break from a busy day chasing 'light' sightings all over town. Merrillee, a high school beauty queen, is thrilled at George's announcement that Tonight-Is-The-Night for the landing of the 'light.' She appears at the diner with her suitcase packed, anxiously awaiting its arrival and ready to go with it. Tonight Mason, L.E., George, Merrillee, and Frank will experience something none of them will ever forget. SETTING: A local diner in Dillard, Ga, a small town located a couple hours north of Atlanta, GA, during the summer of 1992. CHARACTERS: GEORGE - Owns the diner. He inherited it after his father died. George has always worked for his father but now that he's the owner he has decided to test his wings under Mason's tutelage. Mason and George went to high school together. George is a few years younger and he holds Mason in the highest esteem. L.E.: A waitress at Dunford's diner, she went to high school with Mason and they were an item before they graduated and he left to go to New York. L.E. is the quiet, stable, reasonable person in the group. She has never left Dillard except for a brief stay in Tupelo after graduation. She refuses to get swept up in the furor of the 'light'. Her real name is Lenora Elaine but the only person who calls her that is her mother. FRANK - A Dillard County policeman, he was best friends with George's father. Frank has been a fixture in the community and the diner forever. Married to Geraldine they have no children so he looks on those in the diner like a surrogate father. Dillard County was a quiet peaceful little town until the 'light' started shining and they put him in charge. Frank has come to the diner tonight to take a much needed break. MASON: A hometown success story, he moved to New York City shortly after graduating from high school and made a name for himself in advertising. Mason has recently returned to Dillard to the surprise of everyone especially L.E. Much like the prodigal son, Mason has come back to see if he can fit in again. MERRILLEE - The prettiest girl in high school, Merrillee was and still is the envy of all the girls in town. As pretty as she is, there is a naive innocence about her that is childlike and sincere. She truly does look for the best in everyone and there isn't a mean bone in her body. She grew up in a wealthy family and married well. She has never had to work or want for anything in her life. But today she has packed her suitcase and declared that she is going with the 'li

MULBERRY LANE Award-winning playwright Mary Miller invites you to spend the afternoon on MULBERRY LANE with Bernice and Clarice and discover what it means to be truly alive. AWARDS & NOTICES Winner National Playwriting One Act Competition, Dubuque, IA. Senior Barn Players Repertory Theatre Tour, Kansas City, MO. "ABSOLUTELY STUNNING" Autumn Players, Asheville Community Theatre, Asheville, NC. ABOUT THE PLAY Do old dreams ever die? If they don't ... is it ever too late to act on them? This is the question Clarice forces Bernice to answer one extraordinary day in August, while sitting on the back porch of an ordinary old folks home on Mulberry Lane. SETTING: The play takes place on the back porch of an old folks retirement home. The set can be as elaborate or as simple as possible. However, there should be a wooden park bench and a tall outdoor trashcan. CAST OF CHARACTERS: BERNICE: An elderly woman of indeterminate age (60-80). She is properly dressed in a conservative beige dress. She wears low sensible shoes and walks with a cane (although she doesn't always need it). Her hair is carefully knotted behind her head in a bun. Bernice is the personification of a traditional conservative elderly woman. CLARICE: An elderly woman just slightly younger than Bernice. She is dressed in a more stylish, contemporary, brightly colored dress, a bit flamboyant for a woman her age. Clarice's hair is haphazardly pulled up with bobby pins stuck here and there. There is a childlike innocence and joy about Clarice. She punctuates everything with a smile and is the visual opposite of Bernice. TIME: A hot mid-morning in August. The present. AUTHOR'S NOTE Although there is a good bit of bantering between Clarice and Bernice there should always be the underlying sense of love and support for one another. The teasing that occurs is natural between two people who've known each other for a long time. It should be lighthearted and funny. The pacing should be quick and upbeat at all times allowing for the humor to come through. It's important to note: the more upbeat the performances are the more poignant the play becomes.

Mary Miller seizes the mantle of southern literature with Biloxi, a tender, gritty tale of middle age and the unexpected turns a life can take.

"I adore Mary Miller's stories and you will too. Read this book and then read her others. Like, now." -Tom Franklin, author of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

A teenage girl and her unraveling family travel cross-country in preparation for the Rapture in this radiant, highly anticipated debut.

This is the first comprehensive resource for clinical medical-surgical nursing instructors responsible for guiding students through their entire clinical rotation. Designed specifically for nurses teaching Med-Surg II, it contains everything the new or adjunct instructor needs to teach expertly and confidently. The guide features a week-by-week instructional plan for the clinical rotation and includes all materials necessary to effectively perform administrative leadership and supervision, assess students' knowledge and learning styles, maximize the learning process, simplify evaluation, and help ensure a smooth transition to clinical practice.

The dental workplace is always busy, whether in a dental surgery or a dental department in a hospital. This pocket-size reference book puts all the vital facts and information at your fingertips!

Because of its wide scope (infertility, miscarriage, sudden infant death, abortion, release to adoption; emotional disappointments including handicapped babies, cesareans, premature or traumatic birth; and help for grieving children), this book will help parents and care-givers understand the great burden of all loss experienced. American Baby's Childbirth Educator